Police arrest suspects in pawnshop heist

August 10, 2010 10:45 am

DUMAGUETE CITY, Aug. 9 — Two of four suspects in a broad daylight robbery of Agencia Belen pawnshop in Dumaguete on Saturday were nabbed during hot pursuit operations on order of Mayor Manuel Sagarbarria.

Presented to the mayor Monday morning were Roy Cupat, 29, married, the driver of the gateaway motorcycle, a handler of a rooster farm in their place, and Jessie Bareñan of legal age, married, a “habal-habal” driver, all of Tudela, Misamis Occidental.

The alleged mastermind, identified as Andres Dagohoy, however, eluded police dragnet together with the loot, jewelry worth about P400,000.

Supt. Leopoldo Cabanag, Dumaguete police chief, said efforts to locate him in Toledo City, Cebu province proved futile, stating that the suspect may have been alarmed of the hot pursuit operation.

Cupat was arrested in Barangay Banilad while Bareñas was subdued at the Ceres terminal in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental.

They were arrested through the cell phone of the alleged mastermind which was inadvertently left at the crime scene.

Cupat was texting their leader to fetch him at the South City Elementary School in Barangay Mangnao, Dumaguete City, where he was resting and without food since Saturday night, because he is new to the place.

He told newsmen that the plan was to abandon his driven motorcycle at Robinsons Place Department Store in Calindagan, after the robbery.

The whereabouts of Bareñas was also reached by the police through the cellphone that was left in Agencia Belen Pawnshop believed to be owned by the mastermind.

Immediately, Cong. George P. Arnaiz provided a vehicle for the police through Sagarbarria in catching Bareñas at the Ceres terminal in San Carlos City.

Both suspects said they arrived at noon on Saturday on board an inter-island vessel from Misamis Occidental and immediately pulled the robbery.